Stations of the Cross

Earlier today I was with children from Stock School, visiting Stock Parish Church, looking at the Stations of the Cross. A tough subject, but requested by the school. I couldn't photograph the children but did manage to get the dappled light cascading through the baptism window.

The Stations of the Cross, or The Way, refers to a series of religious reflections on Christ Carrying the Cross to His crucifixion. The tradition of moving around the Stations to commemorate the Passion of Christ began with St. Francis of Assisi & is usually done during Lent, especially on Good Friday.

The object of The Way is to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer through meditating upon the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death. The stations include:

Jesus is condemned to death
Jesus carries his cross
Jesus falls the first time
Jesus meets his mother
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Jesus falls the second time
Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
Jesus falls the third time
Jesus is stripped of his garments
Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
Jesus dies on the cross
Jesus is taken down from the cross
Jesus is laid in the tomb.

There are a number of variants ant the resurrection is sometimes called the 15th station.